Ferndale Public Library
Encyclopedia
The Ferndale Public Library was built in 1909 as Carnegie Grant Library
on donated land and supported by the City of Ferndale, California
until becoming part of the Humboldt County
Library system in 1915. It is the only Carnegie Library in northwestern California
still functioning as a Public Library
.
November 30, 1904 a free public library reading room was set up in the Paine building at the corner of Main and Washington Streets.
Two years later, on 18 April 1906, Ferndale was struck by the Great San Francisco Earthquake
. The Ferndale Enterprise reported that the Paine building was "twisted and the plate glass windows were demolished." The Gilt Edge building where the old reading room had been was so completely ruined by the earthquake that it had to be demolished in 1908.
in 1908 to obtain the Carnegie Foundation Grant for $8,000 which was equal to ten times the amount the town would contribute per year to support it.
Architect Warren Skellings of Eureka, California
designed a one-story reinforced concrete building in Classical Revival style to fit on a 40 foot by 40 foot area, deeded to the Town of Ferndale by Adam Putnam, and according to the deed of transfer "if not so used, then to revert to the grantor." Construction was awarded to Ackerman and Ackerman of Eureka for $7,775.40 on April 12, 1909. Furnishings were extra so the City of Ferndale agreed to loan the extra money.
The Paine building was leased by a showman for a Movie theater
and in May 1909 the library temporarily moved into the Brelle Building, at Main and Shaw opposite the Knights of Pythias
Castle, until the new library building was ready.
On October 29, 1909, a strong earthquake measured at magnitude 6.0, centered at 40°30′0"N 124°12′0"W broke the large glass panes in the front of the Brelle building.
As new building neared completion, citizens questioned why the building bore the label "Ferndale Library" instead of "Carnegie Library." The Ferndale Enterprise of 5 November 1909 explained that it was "the express wish of Mr. Carnegie that his name should be omitted. Some of the first of the library buildings made possible by his generosity bore his name, but on later ones this has been left off by his desire," and added that an "unostentatious" tablet would be placed inside the building with a hope "that gentleman will perhaps not object to our people commemorating his name."
Construction dragged on while a wood-burning furnace and electrical fittings were shipped and installed; the city council became concerned because they were also paying for the rental on the temporary facility at the Brelle Building, but on 15 March, 1910 new the library building was accepted as ready for occupancy.
The Library formally opened 2 April 1910. By 1911 the Ferndale Village Club ladies had begun to plant the grounds and installed cement walkways, but a neighbor's cattle kept escaping onto the Library grounds and eating the plantings. In 1912, cattle-proof concrete walls were built and library trustees were able to repay the Town the $264.40 loaned during construction. In a sign of increasing Regionalisation
in Humboldt County, the Ferndale Library became a branch of the Humboldt County Library System in 1915.
The building has been continually maintained. An updated furnace was added in 1926 and in 1977 a rear addition enlarged the original building to include a children's room, a bathroom and storage, but the style and original furnishings were retained.
The Eureka
and Ferndale Public Libraries were the only two Carnegie Grant Libraries in northwestern California, but only the Ferndale Library is still functioning as a public Library with original bookcases and furniture.
Carnegie library
A Carnegie library is a library built with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. 2,509 Carnegie libraries were built between 1883 and 1929, including some belonging to public and university library systems...
on donated land and supported by the City of Ferndale, California
Ferndale, California
Ferndale is a city in Humboldt County, California, United States. Known for its well-preserved Victorian buildings, the city's population was 1,371 at the 2010 census, down from 1,382 at the 2000 census...
until becoming part of the Humboldt County
Humboldt County, California
Humboldt County is a county in the U.S. state of California, located on the far North Coast 200 miles north of San Francisco. According to 2010 Census Data, the county’s population was 134,623...
Library system in 1915. It is the only Carnegie Library in northwestern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
still functioning as a Public Library
Public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...
.
Early History
The first free reading room in Ferndale opened 3 February, 1896 on the ground floor of the Gilt Edge Building with books from the old town library and the Chapin library. The Ferndale Enterprise newspaper reported the hours of operation and added that "Smoking, loud talking, spitting on the floor, etc. will be strictly prohibited by the management," but by 12 February 1897 the reading room closed for lack of support.November 30, 1904 a free public library reading room was set up in the Paine building at the corner of Main and Washington Streets.
Two years later, on 18 April 1906, Ferndale was struck by the Great San Francisco Earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was a major earthquake that struck San Francisco, California, and the coast of Northern California at 5:12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, 1906. The most widely accepted estimate for the magnitude of the earthquake is a moment magnitude of 7.9; however, other...
. The Ferndale Enterprise reported that the Paine building was "twisted and the plate glass windows were demolished." The Gilt Edge building where the old reading room had been was so completely ruined by the earthquake that it had to be demolished in 1908.
The Carnegie Library
The city council corresponded with James Bertram, an assistant of Andrew CarnegieAndrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
in 1908 to obtain the Carnegie Foundation Grant for $8,000 which was equal to ten times the amount the town would contribute per year to support it.
Architect Warren Skellings of Eureka, California
Eureka, California
Eureka is the principal city and the county seat of Humboldt County, California, United States. Its population was 27,191 at the 2010 census, up from 26,128 at the 2000 census....
designed a one-story reinforced concrete building in Classical Revival style to fit on a 40 foot by 40 foot area, deeded to the Town of Ferndale by Adam Putnam, and according to the deed of transfer "if not so used, then to revert to the grantor." Construction was awarded to Ackerman and Ackerman of Eureka for $7,775.40 on April 12, 1909. Furnishings were extra so the City of Ferndale agreed to loan the extra money.
The Paine building was leased by a showman for a Movie theater
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
and in May 1909 the library temporarily moved into the Brelle Building, at Main and Shaw opposite the Knights of Pythias
Knights of Pythias
The Knights of Pythias is a fraternal organization and secret society founded at Washington, DC, on 19 February 1864.The Knights of Pythias was the first fraternal organization to receive a charter under an act of the United States Congress. It was founded by Justus H. Rathbone, who had been...
Castle, until the new library building was ready.
On October 29, 1909, a strong earthquake measured at magnitude 6.0, centered at 40°30′0"N 124°12′0"W broke the large glass panes in the front of the Brelle building.
As new building neared completion, citizens questioned why the building bore the label "Ferndale Library" instead of "Carnegie Library." The Ferndale Enterprise of 5 November 1909 explained that it was "the express wish of Mr. Carnegie that his name should be omitted. Some of the first of the library buildings made possible by his generosity bore his name, but on later ones this has been left off by his desire," and added that an "unostentatious" tablet would be placed inside the building with a hope "that gentleman will perhaps not object to our people commemorating his name."
Construction dragged on while a wood-burning furnace and electrical fittings were shipped and installed; the city council became concerned because they were also paying for the rental on the temporary facility at the Brelle Building, but on 15 March, 1910 new the library building was accepted as ready for occupancy.
The Library formally opened 2 April 1910. By 1911 the Ferndale Village Club ladies had begun to plant the grounds and installed cement walkways, but a neighbor's cattle kept escaping onto the Library grounds and eating the plantings. In 1912, cattle-proof concrete walls were built and library trustees were able to repay the Town the $264.40 loaned during construction. In a sign of increasing Regionalisation
Regionalisation
Regionalization is the tendency to form regions, or the process of doing so.Regionalization can be observed in various disciplines:*In geography, it has two ways: the process of delineating the Earth, its small areas or other units into regions and a state of such a delineation.*In globalization...
in Humboldt County, the Ferndale Library became a branch of the Humboldt County Library System in 1915.
The building has been continually maintained. An updated furnace was added in 1926 and in 1977 a rear addition enlarged the original building to include a children's room, a bathroom and storage, but the style and original furnishings were retained.
The Eureka
Carnegie Free Library (Eureka, California)
The Carnegie Free Library in Eureka, California was built in Classical Revival Style in 1902. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986, and currently houses the Morris Graves Museum of Art.-History:...
and Ferndale Public Libraries were the only two Carnegie Grant Libraries in northwestern California, but only the Ferndale Library is still functioning as a public Library with original bookcases and furniture.